Saturday, August 28, 2010

Can an immigrant who resides legally in the U.S. on a work visa but who voted illegally in a presidential election year still become a naturalized U.S. citizen?

Yes, actually. Especially if the Department of Homeland Security sends a letter instructing him to request removal from the voter rolls.

That happened this summer in Putnam County, Tenn., where County Administrator of Elections Debbie Steidl says an immigrant who illegally registered to vote – and then voted – in 2004 is now seeking to become a U.S. citizen.

Steidl says the man gave her a form letter from the DHS instructing him to:

"Submit … evidence that you have been removed from the roll of registered voters. This can be accomplished by contacting your local election commission where you registered and voted. Submit a letter of explanation of why you registered to vote, and where you registered to vote, when you discovered that you were not a United States Citizen."

Friday, August 20, 2010

Republicans are running hard on the issue, but the Democrats' defensiveness may cost them dear with vital Latino votersCan the GOP win back the US Senate this November? Even three months ago, most political observers considered that a mathematical near-impossibility. Now, with Republicans all but certain to capture 44 seats, and another eight seats considered "toss-ups", it's not just a GOP fantasy.

In the latest state polls, Republican candidates are leading Democratic candidates, or running neck-and-neck with them, in six of the eight toss-up contests. In the other two, they trail by only a slight margin. Continue reading Immigration: the midterm battleground

Friday, August 13, 2010

BURIEN, Wash. – Carlos Hernandez packed up his family and left Arizona after the state passed its sweeping immigration crackdown. The illegal immigrant's new home outside Seattle offered something Arizona could not: a driver's license.

Three states — Washington, New Mexico and Utah — allow illegal immigrants to get licenses because their laws do not require proof of citizenship or legal residency. An Associated Press analysis found that those states have seen a surge in immigrants seeking IDs in recent months, a trend experts attribute to crackdowns on illegal immigration in Arizona and elsewhere.

"It's difficult being undocumented and not having an identification," said Hernandez, of Puebla, Mexico. "You can use the Mexican ID, but people look down on it." An American driver's license is also a requirement for many jobs.

Friday, August 6, 2010

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (MarketWatch) -- What makes us citizens of the United States? Is it merely being born here? According to the U.S. Constitution it is.

But many people -- and I am one of them -- would like to change that. Let me be clear: I don't believe that we are interpreting the 14th Amendment incorrectly, as many people say that we are. (They say the amendment was only intended to apply to African Americans, and has been corrupted.)

I think that we, as many nations have done over the past two decades, need to update our immigration laws.

The U.S. operates on a "jus soli" basis, meaning that if a child is born on U.S. territory he or she can claim American citizenship. There are even reports of this being turned into a business. Hotels are reportedly now offering "birth tourism" packages. Apparently the child born in the U.S. could then be considered what some are calling an "anchor," making it easier for parents and relatives to acquire green cards. Continue Reading at marketwatch.com

European Union Immigration: European Union Immigration support and services. Visas, permanent residency and citizenship services for all EU member countries. Download Immigration Forms. Locate European embassies and consulates. Schengen Visa applications.